Controversy As Enugu APC Enlists Catholic, Anglican Bishops, Other Senior Church Officials In Campaign Council
Controversy As Enugu APC Enlists Catholic, Anglican Bishops, Other Senior Church Officials In Campaign Council
The document, obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday, bears the APC’s official logo and outlines the composition of the party’s “Faith-Based (Christians) Directorate” for its Enugu State Campaign Council.
Controversy has erupted in Enugu State following the emergence of a document listing prominent Catholic and Anglican clerics, including the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Most Rev. Dr. Ernest Obodo, and the Anglican Bishop of Oji River Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Ikechukwu Joseph Egbuonu, as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign structure.
The document, obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday, bears the APC’s official logo and outlines the composition of the party’s “Faith-Based (Christians) Directorate” for its Enugu State Campaign Council.
According to the list, Bishop Obodo, who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Abakaliki Diocese, is designated as the director of the faith-based directorate, while Bishop Egbuonu is listed as “Member No. 22”.
Their inclusion in the partisan campaign structure has drawn criticism from members of their respective denominations, with concerns raised about the neutrality of the Church, the independence of religious institutions and the implications of clerics taking active roles in party politics.
The reported appointment of Bishop Obodo to lead the APC’s faith-based campaign directorate has prompted calls for clarification from Catholic Church authorities.
In an open commentary circulating on social media among Catholics, members of the Church questioned how an active role in a political campaign could align with the Church’s spiritual responsibilities, particularly when its members belong to different political parties.
The concerns also centre on whether a serving bishop should occupy a leadership position in a partisan political structure and where the Church should draw the boundary between participation in public affairs and direct involvement in party politics.
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Those questioning the appointment have called on the diocesan leadership and the Holy See to clarify Bishop Obodo’s official status regarding his inclusion in the APC campaign team.
They warned that associating the Catholic faith with a particular political party could undermine the Church’s unity and alienate members who support other parties.
The controversy has also spread to the Anglican Communion, where a formal petition has been submitted against Bishop Egbuonu over his inclusion in the same APC campaign directorate.
In the petition addressed to the Primate of All Nigeria, Most Rev. Dr. Henry C. Ndukuba, and the House of Bishops, a group identifying itself as “Concerned Anglican Faithful”, led by Moses Abel, expressed what it described as profound grief and humiliation over the bishop’s enlistment in the party’s campaign structure.
The petitioners specifically objected to Bishop Egbuonu’s appearance as “Member No. 22” in the Faith-Based Directorate.
“It is a matter of profound scandal that a Father in God, consecrated to shepherd souls across all political divides, would allow his revered office to be enlisted into a partisan political campaign machinery,” the petition reads.
“Even more humiliating to the Anglican Communion is the structural configuration of the said Directorate, which positions a Roman Catholic prelate as Director, Pentecostal leadership as Secretary and Deputy Directors, while placing an Anglican Diocesan Bishop low down as an ordinary member on a partisan list.”
“This represents an unprecedented erosion of the dignity, autonomy, and historical standing of the Anglican Church,” the petition further says.
The concerned faithful argued that Bishop Egbuonu’s inclusion violates the foundational vows of the historic Episcopate.
“By the foundational declaration and ordinal vows, a Bishop is called to be a symbol of unity, a chief pastor to all members regardless of political affiliation, and an uncompromised spiritual moral compass,” the petition explains, adding that “Active participation or enlistment in partisan political campaign structures compromises the sacred ministry of reconciliation, alienates faithfuls of opposing political persuasions, and turns the pulpit and episcopacy into instruments of partisan warfare.”
The petitioners further stressed that subjecting a Lord Bishop to a subordinate slot within a committee led by other denominations is a severe institutional slight.
“Subjecting a Lord Bishop to a subordinate slot (Member No. 22) within a partisan committee led by leaders of other denominations is a severe institutional slight that undermines the collective dignity of the Anglican faithful,” the petition adds.
The petition demands that the Anglican hierarchy direct Bishop Egbuonu to immediately renounce the appointment, issue a canonical call to order, and bar all serving clergy from holding partisan political offices.
It reads, “In light of the foregoing, we respectfully and urgently call upon Your Graces and Lordships to exercise your canonical authority by taking the following immediate steps:
“That the Primate and the House of Bishops direct Bishop Ikechukwu Joseph Egbuonu to immediately and publicly renounce, reject, and dissociate himself from the said partisan political campaign appointment.
“That the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province and the Bishop of Enugu North, formally call the Bishop of Oji River to order to prevent further damage to the image of the Church.”
“That the House of Bishops issue a strong, binding pastoral directive barring all serving Bishops and Clergy from accepting partisan campaign appointments or holding partisan political offices, in alignment with the prophetic calling of the Church as the neutral moral voice of the nation,” the petition reads.
The inclusion of prominent religious leaders in the APC campaign structure has also attracted criticism from political observers, who view the move as an attempt by the ruling party to use religious influence to mobilise voters ahead of the forthcoming elections in Enugu State.
The party’s establishment of a faith-based directorate and the listing of senior clerics in its membership have raised questions about the extent to which religious institutions and their leaders should participate in partisan political activities.
Critics argue that the involvement of serving clerics in party campaign structures could deepen divisions within religious communities, particularly where members hold different political views.
The controversy has renewed debate over the relationship between religious leadership and partisan politics in Nigeria, as members of the Catholic and Anglican churches await official responses from their respective authorities.
When SaharaReporters contacted the Enugu State APC spokesperson, Chief Uchenna Obute, to confirm the authenticity of the document, he neither confirmed nor denied it.
After being asked to verify the document, Obute said, “Sorry, I am somewhere now, I will talk to you later.” He then ended the call.
He had yet to provide further clarification as of the time of filing this report.
When SaharaReporters contacted the Communications Director of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Anthony Aneke, he stated that Bishop Obodo did not consent to the move, as his permission was never sought before his name was published on the list.
“In short, there will be a disclaimer to the list soonest. The bishop wasn’t consulted and never consented to the list of the APC Campaign job,” he said.
